Auditor general Merwan Saher says while progress has been made, Albertans are still not in a position to determine if money spent on reducing greenhouse gas emissions is effective.Greg Southam Greg Southam

CALGARY — The public is still in the dark when it comes to the progress made and dollars spent on Alberta’s homegrown strategy to curb greenhouse gas emissions, according to the provincial auditor general.

The government watchdog said Thursday that climate change information is given out in dribs and drabs, and there’s no way for Albertans to judge whether the province’s overall plan is producing tangible results.

In fact, auditor general Merwan Saher said the Tory government has not formally reported on its total progress on meeting emission reduction targets in the five years since climate change legislation came into force.

“Albertans can’t assess whether the government has made progress in achieving targets and whether the costs that have been incurred, whether they are in fact getting the desired results,” Saher told reporters in Edmonton.

Four years ago, the auditor general’s office said the government’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was short on crucial details and could cost taxpayers billions of dollars without any guarantee of results.

In a report released Thursday, Saher said the government has made progress on some fronts, such as tightening up the system that ensures carbon offsets are real.

But his office repeated a 2008 recommendation that the Conservative government improve its public disclosure on the climate change file.

“There has been some progress, but it could have been more,” he said.

The director of the Alberta government’s Climate Change Secretariat agrees the Environment Department must find a way to provide comprehensive information.

But Bob Savage said it’s a more complicated task than it initially appears.

“We’ve spent the first number of years of our strategy building the system,” Savage said in an interview.

“There’s a lot of moving parts and pieces,” he added. “We need to knit the narrative together.”

But Savage said progress has been made. For instance, he said there has been substantial reporting on the heavy greenhouse gas emitters who must buy carbon offsets, or pay into a green technology fund, if they go over their emission limits.

It was four years ago that the Stelmach government released a “made-in-Alberta” climate change strategy, largely structured around emissions intensity reductions and a carbon capture and storage (CCS) subsidy program.

After one project cancellation earlier this year, the province’s CCS commitment now stands at $1.5 billion for three remaining developments.

Alberta’s absolute greenhouse gas emissions have dipped in tandem with the global economic slowdown, but long-term trends will see emissions climb in the province.

In August, an Environment Canada report said the province’s greenhouse gas emissions — driven in large part by increasing oilsands production — will grow to 285 megatonnes by 2020, compared with 231 megatonnes in 2005.

Earlier this year, the Alberta government acknowledged it likely missed its 2010 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal and is now revamping the province’s overall climate change strategy to meet future targets.

On Thursday, Saher also highlighted the need for the department to create a “master implementation plan” for how to reach its greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2020. He said his office will look for that in 2013.

Savage said the province is still working on a new climate change strategy and will bring it forward for political approval within the next 12 months.

NDP MLA Rachel Notley said if the Redford government doesn’t show it’s serious in its efforts to reduce emissions, Alberta’s oil and gas exports are going to become less attractive to foreign markets.

“If we don’t deal with it, we will pay for it,” Notley said.

Wildrose environment critic Joe Anglin said the auditor general’s criticisms speaks to the larger issue of a lack of government transparency.

“If they had a good answer, they’d be out there telling people,” Anglin said.

Pembina Institute policy director Simon Dyer noted Ottawa will bring in new emission reduction regulations for the country’s oil and gas producers by early next year, and Alberta has already promised it’s committed to responsible resource development.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.